Game apparatus



T. E. COOPER.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED mu 2. 1920.

Patented June 14, 1921.

UNITED STATES THOMAS E. COOPER, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAME APPARATIVIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 14, 1921.

Application filed. July 2, 1920. Serial No. 393,698.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. Coornn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, form ing part of this specification.

ily invention relates to games, wherein the player has to judge distance and speed, and consists of a revolving table within a stationary ring, the periphery of the table and said ring having a series of holes formed half and half therein, into'wlnch a ball may be dropped or rolled by the player, and in providing suitable gear mechanism for revolving said table, which will permit said table to be stopped by a ball inserted into one of said holes without stopping the motor.

The features of my invention are hereinafter described and pointed out, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a plan view of a game apparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. 2, is a transverse, central section thereof.

In these drawings A, A, see Fig. 2, are radial cross-beams, which are supported upon legs A, and A upon the inner ends of which is placed a plate B having a bearing sleeve 6 in which a vertical shaft C 18 mounted; said shaft C having a. disk C thereon.

The plate B and disk C are provided with an annular race-way in which are placed anti-friction balls 0. The lower end of the shaft C is mounted in a bearing sleeve D supported in cross-beams D, and between the beams A and D, I secure on the shaft C a pulley wheel E of suitable diameter to give the desired speed of rotation to the shaft C.

Upon the upper end of the shaft C, I

- place a friction bearing F the lower end of which is provided with a flange F which contacts with the upper surface of the disk C. Upon this hearing F is placed a circular table G, the central portion of which is on a higher level than the periphery G thereof, there being an inclined or conical surface 9 between said central portion and the periphery G thereof. I also provide a cylindrical ring at the upper end or edge of said inclined or conical surface 9.

Supported on the beams A is a stationary ring H, and a circular receptacle or trough H. In the manufacture of this apparatus the ring H and periphery G are first integral, and upon a circle inscribed thereon bore a series of holes J which are equally spaced apart, as shown in Fig. l. I then saw the ring H off of the periphery G of the table G, so that one half of said holes are in the periphery G of the table, and one half are in the ring H, and the table is free to revolve within the ring H. Radiatin from the ring H are players stations I which consist of slightly inclined boards, down which may be rolled small balls L, which for convenience are stored in the trough or circular tray H. For convenience a barrier M is provided which is of sufiicient diameter to provide space between it and the circular tray H for the attendant.

Under the table G I place a motor N from which a belt extends over idler pulleys N and around the large pulley E. Upon the table G are placed any desired series of numerals P giving different values to certain of the holes J. In operation the motor N causes the table G to revolve at a moderate speed, and the player reaches over the barrier M and takes a ball from the tray H, and watches the approach of the hole he desires to drop or roll the ball into, and at the instant which in his judgment, seems correct, releases the ball. If his judgment is correct his ball will enter the hole J, selected, and will stop the revolution of the table, the disk C continuing to revolve. If the player has selected the hole J having a value of 20, he is given a count of 20, or other holes as marked. It will be obvious that considerable practice will be required before a player acquires suflicient skill to place his ball in the desired hole.

In practice I preferably construct the revolving table G about ten feet in diameter, and inclose the apparatus in a circular build ing, the circumference of which is represented by the barrier M of the drawing, so that the apparatus is protected from the weather; and further it will be obvious that the apparatus is suitable for out-of-doors recreation at summer resorts.

Having thus, fully shown and described my invention so that others may utilize the same, I do not desire to limit myself to the exact construction shown and described, as many modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of my invention; therefore what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a game apparatus, a stationary ring, a central revoluble member, a manually operated member, equally spaced means on said ring and revoluble member adapted to be coengaged by said manually operated member to stop the revolution of said revoluble member, substantially as described.

2. In a game apparatus, a stationary ring, a revoluble member adapted to revolve within' said ring, equally spaced holes jointly in the adjacent perimeter-s of said ring and said revoluble member, and a ball adapted to enter one of said holes, substantially as set forth.

3. In a game apparatus, a stationary ring, a revoluble member adapted to revolve with said ring, friction mechanism to cause said member to revolve, a manually operated ball and means on said ring and revoluble member adapted to be co-engaged by said ball to stop the revolution of said revoluble member, substantially as set forth.

4. In a game apparatus, a stationary ring, a table adapted to be rotated on the plane of and within said ring, said table and ring having in their adjacent perimeters co-incident notches, means to yieldingly cause said table to rotate, and a manually operated member adapted to be placed in a pair of said co-incident notches whereby the rotation of said table may be stopped, substantially as desired.

5. In a game apparatus, a'stationary ring having equally spaced notches around its inner perimeter, a revoluble member within said ring and having equally spaced notches around its outer perimeter adapted to coincide with the notches in said ring, means to designate different values for the notches in said revoluble member, and a manually operated member whereby a player may stop the rotation of said revoluble table at the notch of the value desired, substantially as desired.

6. In a game apparatus, a stationary ring having notches in its inner perimeter, a c1r-' cular tray under said ring, a rotatable table within said ring having a conical surface adjacent to its periphery, and having notches in its periphery adapted to co-incide with the notches in said ring, inclined radial boards around the periphery of said stationary ring, friction mechanism to cause said table to rotate, and a ball adapted to be rolled inward on one of said inclined radial boards, whereby it said ball does not enter one or said co-inciding notches, said inclined-surface will cause said ball to roll backward and into said circular tray, substantially as set forth. 4

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

THOMAS E. COOPER. 

